Deadline set for participating in Darke County’s music day

GREENVILLE — Darke County Center for the Arts has announced a deadline of June 15 for those wishing to sign up to join local festivities on Make Music Day, an international holiday celebrating music and the Summer Solstice on June 21. DCCA is actively encouraging musicians of all skill levels to participate in Make Music Darke County, joining others around the globe in this international event where everyone is invited to participate and all are encouraged to experience the joy of music.

Solo acts or combos of all skill levels and musical genres are welcome to play or sing at the celebration; church choirs, vocal or instrumental groups, and marching bands as well as groups of office staffs and employees of businesses who would enjoy making music together are invited to perform regardless of experience or recognized talent. To participate in the local observance of this worldwide festival, send a description of your music, how many people are in your group, your preferred time and location to perform (if you have a preference) along with any existing samples of your work to darkecounty@makemusicday.org. Planned performance times are 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. at Greenville Public Library and 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at YOLO Park in Greenville; additional performance times and locations may be added as needed.

Begun in France in 1982 where it has become a national holiday, the “Fete De La Musique” created a music festival featuring free music being performed almost everywhere; fourteen years ago, the festival crossed the Atlantic with the debut of Make Music New York, and has since spread to more than 80 communities across the United States resulting in 5,383 free concerts being performed in 1,862 locations on June 21, 2019. When the COVID pandemic made public gatherings impossible in 2020, Make Music Day attracted more than 1600 virtual and socially-distanced events across the U.S.

The joyous event captures the positive spirit inspired by music, spreading resilience and hope around the world.

Darke County Center for the Arts is a non-profit organization whose mission is to present and promote performing and fine arts encouraging cultural enrichment. To keep this celebration of music free for everyone, donations in support of Make Music Day are also being solicited, and can be sent to Make Music Day Darke County, DCCA, P. O. Box 718, Greenville, OH 45331. For more information or assistance with sign-up, call DCCA at 937-547-0908 or visit DCCA’s website DarkeCountyArts.org.